Apparatus for continuously conveying coal from a continuous miner to a remote floor conveyor

Apparatus for use in conveying a supply of coal supplied by a machine working at a mine face to a spaced floor conveyor arranged to convey the coal away from the face comprising:

• first, second and third cooperating elongated conveying means each having a coal receiving end and a coal discharging end:
• means for positioning the receiving end of said first conveying means in a position to receive a supply of coal which has been supplied by the working machine and for enabling the first conveying means to be swung horizontally and tilted to a limited extent,
• first and second mounting members extending in cantilever fashion from the receiving end of said second conveying means and the receiving end of said third conveying means respectively,
• first and second crawler units disposed below said first and second mounting members respectively,
• each of said crawler units including a frame structure, a pair of longitudinally coextensive parallel endless track assemblies connected with said frame structure, means for supporting the associated mounting member on said frame structure for limited tilting movement and for horizontal swinging movement about a vertical axis disposed between the associated pair of endless track assemblies and intermediate the longitudinal extent thereof, and power operated means for selectively independently driving each endless track assembly in either direction so as to permit said frame structure to be pivoted horizontally about said vertical axis in response to said endless truck assemblies being driven at equal speeds in opposite directions to thereby enable the frame structure to be moved from any pivotal position into which it has been moved, as aforesaid, rectilinearly in either direction in response to said endless track assemblies being driven at equal speeds in said direction,
• means mounting the discharge end of said first conveying means on the receiving end of said second conveying means for longitudinal movement thereabove for limiting tilting movement with respect thereto and generally horizontal swinging movement with respect thereto so as to discharge the coal from the discharge end of said first conveying means onto the second conveying means in any position of movement with respect thereto,
• means mounting the discharge end of said second conveying means on the receiving end of said third conveying means for longitudinal movement thereabove for limited tilting movement with respect thereto and for generally horizontal swinging movement with respect thereto so as to discharge the coal from the discharge end of said second conveying means onto the third conveying means in any position of movement with respect thereto, and
• means for mounting the discharge of said third conveying means on the floor conveyor for longitudinal movement thereabove for limited tilting movement with respect thereto and for generally horizontal swinging movement with respect thereto so as to discharge the coal from the discharge end of said third conveying means onto the floor conveyor in any position of movement with respect thereto.